Nigerian contemporary dancer and choreographer Benjamin Daniel Gabriel, popularly known as Bendancer, is on the seventh and final day of a 168-hour dance marathon in Lagos as he seeks to break the Guinness World Records title for the longest dance marathon by an individual.
The 33-year-old began the endurance challenge at Freedom Park, Lagos, on September 21, and is expected to complete the 168-hour target early Tuesday, September 29.
If successful, Bendancer’s target would surpass the current published record of 127 hours, set by Indian dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap in 2023.
The challenge has drawn crowds to Freedom Park, with young Nigerians gathering to cheer him on, while videos from the event have attracted widespread attention on social media.
Who is Bendancer?
Gabriel has spent 18 years as a professional dancer and works across choreography, creative direction, dance consultancy, modelling and fitness instruction.
He is the founder of Bendancer Academy International, an organisation focused on training, mentoring and developing emerging dancers.
Before establishing the academy, Gabriel served as the North-East Zonal Dance Coordinator for the Dance Guild of Nigeria, where he worked on dance development and talent mentoring.
He also joined Made Kuti and The Movement, with reports describing him as the first and only male dancer to perform within the Kuti family’s performance tradition at the New Afrika Shrine. His performance credits include Felabration, the 2021 Big Brother Naija finale, Trophy Shout International Festival, Global Citizenship and Project Asia.
For Bendancer, the challenge is not only about breaking a record but also about promoting Nigerian and African dance.
Throughout the marathon, he has incorporated different Nigerian dance traditions and music genres, including Afrobeats, fuji, jazz and zouk, while at times wearing traditional outfits such as agbada and dashiki. His team said the performance was intended to reflect Nigeria’s cultural diversity.
How has he managed seven days of dancing?
The Guinness rules for marathon records permit five minutes of rest for every continuous hour of activity, with unused rest time capable of being accumulated.
Bendancer has reportedly been using the permitted rest periods in blocks, while eating lightly and taking fluids during the challenge. A medical team has also been present at Freedom Park.
The event has developed into a public spectacle, with supporters and guest appearances from Made Kuti gathering at Freedom Park and videos from the challenge circulating widely online.
Although Bendancer is attempting to surpass Jagtap’s 127-hour record with a 168-hour target, Guinness World Records has not yet confirmed that his attempt qualifies as a new official record. The organisation will have to assess the evidence from the challenge before making any determination.
For now, Bendancer remains on the dance floor in Lagos, approaching the end of the seven-day challenge and waiting to see whether the marathon will earn him a place in the Guinness World Record
